Tennis is a sport that thrives on great individual rivalries. Think Bjorn Borg’s contests with John McEnroe or Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. And before those, Margaret Court taking on Billie Jean King, and the all-Aussie rivalry of Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall. And, of course, perhaps the greatest of them all, the three-way rivalry that Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic sustained for so many years.
Tennis’s recent “big three” won an astonishing 65 out of 79 Grand Slams between 2004 and 2023 (there was no Wimbledon in 2020 due to the global pandemic). In eight of those 20 seasons, they won all four available majors. However, since then, it has been all about the new rivalry between Italian Jannik Sinner and Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz.
The pair have consistently been the top two in the world rankings, taking turns at the summit. Djokovic won the 2024 US Open, but since then all eight Grand Slams have gone the way of Sinner and Alcaraz. What’s more, the incredible duo are increasingly meeting in the finals of the biggest tournaments, with few other male tennis players able to get the better of either of them.
Sinner v Alcaraz: Head to Head
The Sincaraz rivalry (look, we didn’t coin the phrase, we don’t like it, and we’re going to use it once and once only) is, we must hope, in its infancy. Both players are young, and they have some way to go before they match the greatest rivalries in terms of the number of times they have met.
Evert and Navratilova met an astonishing 80 times. Incredibly, that includes 60 finals. Djokovic and Nadal met 60 times, the Serb ahead 31-29, with nine meetings coming in Grand Slam finals, including at each of the four majors. Nonetheless, the Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry has great potential. Barring an unlikely drop of form or major injury, it is one we could see unfold over the next decade and more. However, right now, this is how the H2H stats look, along with some info about the amazing duo.
| h2h | Alcaraz | Sinner |
|---|---|---|
| Born | 5/5/2003, Villena, Spain | 16/8/2001, Innichen, Italy |
| Turned Professional | 2018 | 2018 |
| Highest World Ranking | 1 | 1 |
| Grand Slam Wins | 6 | 4 |
| First Major | 2022 US Open | 2024 Australian Open |
| Slam to Complete Career Grand Slam | Australian Open | French Open |
| Wins Against Rival | 10 | 5 |
| Grand Slam Wins v Rival | 4 | 2 |
| Grand Slam Final Wins v Rival | 2 | 1 |
| ATP 1000 Wins v Rival | 5 | 1 |
| ATP 500 Wins v Rival | 1 | 1 |
| ATP 250 Wins v Rival | 0 | 1 |
| Hard Court Wins | 7 | 2 |
| Grass | 0 | 2 |
| Clay | 3 | 1 |
Notable Matches
In a rivalry like this, it is almost fair to say that every meeting between Alcaraz and Sinner is notable. It is a unique chapter in what may prove to be the most exquisite tennis novel any written. We could look at the first meeting between the two, which came at the 2021 Paris Masters. That was an easy win in the round of 32 for the Spaniard. We could talk about their first clash at a Slam, which came at Wimbledon the following year. Sinner prevailed there, 3-1.
Or perhaps we should mention the first time they went to five sets. That happened at the US Open in 2022, and in a five-hour epic, Alcaraz prevailed to book his spot in the semis of a tournament he would go on to win. There are other matches we could consider, too, but instead we will focus on the three Grand Slam finals they have contested.
2025 French Open, Alcaraz Wins 3-2
Alcaraz lost in the quarters of the Australian Open (he has never progressed past that stage in Melbourne, rather strangely), a tournament his Italian “frenemy” went on to win. However, from then on, both players made it to the last two of 2025’s Grand Slams.
The first-ever meeting with a major on the line came in Paris and was a true epic. Rivalries need defining matches to elevate them, as well as longevity and sustained brilliance from both players. The 2025 French Open was the first clash between these two that really took their rivalry to the next level and made everyone realise that there was life, great, serious, amazing life, after the big three.
The Spaniard came from two sets down to win a game that, at five hours and 29 minutes, was the longest final in French Open history. Indeed, it was the second-longest major final ever, with only the 2012 epic in Australia between Djokovic and Nadal having been longer. Three sets, including the final two, went to a tiebreaker, with the fifth decided by a “super tiebreaker”, the first time the 10-point match tiebreaker had decided a final at Roland Garros.
2025 Wimbledon, Sinner Wins 3-1
Sinner got his revenge and claimed his second Slam of the year on the grass of SW19. This marked his first victory at Wimbledon, and compared to France, it was a stroll in the park. The final lasted just four sets, all decided by a 6-4 margin. Alcaraz, bidding for a hat-trick of Wimbledon wins, was the big favourite. When he took the first set, few gave his opponent a chance, but Sinner fought back brilliantly.
He won each of the next three sets 6-4, although there was little between the players. On the day, Sinner just came up with the answers and big shots at the right time, while Alcaraz was only able to win two of the six break points he earned.
2025 US Open, Alcaraz Wins 3-2
The concluding part of the 2025 trilogy took place in New York and a win for Sinner would have meant both players had won five Grand Slams. It wasn’t to be for the Italian, though, and his rival prevailed with surprising ease. The Spaniard was sensational from the off and won the first set 6-2, playing truly magnificent tennis.
When his rival rallied to take the second 6-3, the fans hoped we would be in line for another classic. However, Sinner was unable to maintain his standard, while Alcaraz kept on producing the goods. Relatively speaking, Alcaraz’s serve had been a weakness in some tournaments, but it was clear that he had worked on it, while it was claimed that he and his team had pinpointed some ways to get at Sinner.
His serve was certainly on song and played a big role in helping him win. With his new haircut and relentlessly powerful, accurate serves, Alcaraz took the third and fourth sets 6-1, 6-4. In winning the tournament, he also ended Sinner’s 65-week reign as world number one. He also became the second-youngest man (at the age of 22) after Bjorn Borg to win six Grand Slams.